


fakin' it

by alainey



Series: Old Stuff from League of Fics [20]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 18:13:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18878554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alainey/pseuds/alainey
Summary: The four of them - Shen, Zed, Akali, and Kennen - are sitting around Akali’s TV (the only one of them with good enough wi-fi to stream matches without a hitch). The air is slightly tense, with everyone in the room rooting for their own respective team and players, but it’s amiable and comfortable and Shen wouldn't have missed it for the world.Written for the prompt: Shen's thoughts recognizing Zed wearing a urban outfit in public (like the tpa and skt skin).





	fakin' it

“They’re just another Korean team,” Akali scoffs, eyes on the HD screen, “it wouldn’t be anything new to watch them win this.”

“Are you kidding, though?” responds Zed, arms crossed and SKT1 hat hanging low on his forehead. “Have you even seen Faker play? That kid is a god.”

The older girl rolled her eyes, reluctant to admit any semblance of truth in his statement. “Fuck you, Zed. Stop bring such a fangirl. You shouldn’t just root for SKT1 because of your weird guy-crush.”

Shen watches as Zed’s face contorts - offended by the girl’s knock on him and his favorite player. He’s about to retort with some witty gay joke when Shen whacks him in the face with his blow-up TPA baton. “Shut up and watch, you idiots. Dragon just spawned!”

Akali scowls, and Zed hits him over the head with a plastic shuriken, but they both comply. They always do, when Shen gets involved. The young man hides a grin.

The four of them - Shen, Zed, Akali, and Kennen - are sitting around Akali’s TV (the only one of them with good enough wi-fi to stream matches without a hitch). The air is slightly tense, with everyone in the room rooting for their own respective team and players, but it’s amiable and comfortable and Shen wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Zed and Akali last another three minutes into laning phase before they’re arguing again, and Shen shares an exasperated look with Kennen. This time it’s something about being female and the esports community, and Shen finally decides to tune them both out.

Shen doesn’t blame Akali for often harping on the other boy - and he doesn’t really blame Zed for getting defensive as a result. He and Zed have history, Shen knows, and it’s something that Akali (as the best friend and chaotic third wheel to their childhood friendship) still hadn’t forgotten. She isn’t nearly as forgiving as Shen.

He and Zed, having grown up in the same small town, had been nearly inseparable as children. However, after a huge shift in religious affiliation within Zed’s family - something Akali found herself unwillingly caught in - everything fell apart.

Zed completely and utterly rejected their friendship as a consequence, and such an act hit Shen hard. Their lives grew complicated and hectic in regards to each other - skewed by their steadily increasing differences in faith. It had put them both through some amount of strain, and, in the end, they’d decided to go their separate ways.

Though, by whatever they had meant by ‘separate ways,’ Shen thinks, he doubts either of them had imagined it'd end in this - them, streaming LCS together, knees bumping and completely decked out in TPA and SKT1 gear.

Because now, they’re both in LA, living together as college undergrads. And they’ve more or less put aside their differences, slowly settling into a relationship that’s both comfortable and - dare he say - almost normal. It’s a lifestyle that, Shen thinks - as Zed squeezes his hand in anticipation for the coming teamfight at Baron - he could definitely get used to.

Shen squeezes back, and wonders if the shy smile on Zed’s face is simply because of Faker’s most recent triple.

But, by the way it seems to linger long after the match is over, Shen kind of doubts that.

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't 100% follow the prompt - I got a bit stuck on the SKT/TPA idea - but I know I loved writing it. This was based on my own experience watching worlds with my best friend in Season 3.
> 
> Also, note that the whole "shift in religion" thing was supposed to be an allusion to Zed's Order of Shadows/canon lore. I'm not sure how I feel about it now, but I've also had a lot of time to think more on modern Shen/Zed interactions. I definitely want to write more for them in the future.
> 
> Crossposted from leaguoffics, I wrote in early 2014. Find me [here](https://twitter.com/alainey_lee) on twitter!


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